The Thọ Quang fishing wharf in the central coastal city of Da Nang is packed with fishing boats. The vessels are rushing to prepare goods and equipment for the long voyage ahead. For them, this is the best time of the year for fishing.  The men are very happy to see favourable weather and seafood trading resuming. It is only the beginning of the harvest season, but vessels are coming and going at a rate of knots to make up for lost time caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to the fishermen, in a leap year there’s usually a bumper catcht. The vessels are heading out in teams to support each other in case of difficulties.  For seamen in the central region, fishing offshore is not only to exploit seafood resources but also to protect the country’s sovereignty over its seas and islands./.